Whittier Christian linebacker Rudy Robles wraps up Maranatha's Mark Jebbia.
(Whittier) – In a four game Olympic League season schools have about as much leeway as two guys walking a tightrope in opposite directions over Niagara Falls. Only one can go forward and the other has to take the long fall.
Visiting Maranatha and Whittier Christian dueled for four quarters before the Heralds literally held on for a 31-24 victory.
Whittier Christian’s Grant Escobar’s special night was capped when he wrestled the game’s final pass from the Minutemen’s Josh Jones in the end zone to seal the Olympic opener.
Maranatha was only a touchdown behind because after a turnover-on-downs and a 27-yard run by the Heralds Joel Rhone, Whittier Christian was stoned on three successive plays and forced to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Cameron Stanley to make it 31-24.
With 1:44 left to live and starting at its own 31, Maranatha began to march. Quarterback Andrew Elfers went 32-yards to Jeremy Major. Then 9-yards to Mark Jebbia before Chris Cornell crashed them to Heralds 24 with 1:16 to play.
Tim Nelson sacked Elfers for a 2-yard loss on first down and on second down Elfers pass to the endzone fell incomplete. On third and 12 from the 26 with 58.5 remaining the Minutemen went to their bread and butter. Three times previously Elfers and wide receiver Josh Jones had punished the Whittier Christian secondary for touchdowns. Again Elfers pass was on target, again it was in Jones’ hands, but as he went down with Escobar the two were wrestling for the ball. The Maranatha receiver came up empty, the Herald had given his team the win by hanging on to the rock.
The pick represented the fourth time Maranatha had penetrated deep into scoring position only to be turned away.
On their first possession Elfers was picked off at the goal line by Jordan Parker. On the second possession they drove to Whittier Christian one before Escobar tipped away an Elfers pass on fourth down.
The Minutemen were able to convert on their third possession when Elfers went 33-yards to Jones after a screen pass was sniffed out by the Heralds defense.
A fourth possession, highlighted by a 49-yard run by Elfers, ended when the quarterback was sacked and fumbled from the 12.
After successive three and outs, Whittier Christian tied the game with a 3-yard run by Joel Rhone. They then took the lead with an 8-play 72-yard drive late in the second quarter. The drive, keyed by a 39-yard reception and run by Escobar, Stephen Anderson’s 8-yard pass to Cody Bronkar capped it with 14.2 remaining.
Maranatha’s Omar Younger took the following kick-off 64-yards from his own 11 before being dragged down at the Heralds 25 with 3.4 left in the half. Elfers dialed up Jones on a 25-yard scoring pass and the game was tied at the break.
The third opened the way the second ended with Elfers going 49-yards to Jones at the 9:50 mark to give the Minutemen a 21-14 lead.
Anderson immediately brought the Heralds back, going 80-yards in 4-plays. On the lightening drive Anderson had a 42-yard run and Escobar had an 18-yard run before Anderson went 19-yards to to Stanley to tie the game.
It was during this drive, however, Anderson’s took a hit and was forced to leave the game. He wouldn’t return.
Maranatha retook the lead, following another 64-yard kick return by Younger, on Matt Marbach’s 33-yard field goal.
Down 24-21, with the Olympic League title in the balance, and without their starting quarterback, Whittier Christian rescued its season.
Back up quarterback Daniel Chacon engineered an 85-yard drive over 9-plays to give his team a 28-24 advantage. Escobar scored the go ahead touchdown on a 5-yard run, carrying the Minutemen’s Cornell with him to the goal line.
Two Chacon passes to Stanley for 28 and 35-yards keyed the effort.
The victory improved the Heralds to 6-1 heading into a bye week. Maranatha, now 5-2, has little time to waste as they match up against Valley Christian at home in a contest that very well could determine its playoff life.
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